(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a rotary motor that is driven by fluid flow. More particularly, but not by way of limitation to a motor that includes a rotor that is driven by flowing or expanding fluids.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
Rotary turbine based motors have been known for quite some time. Most turbine based devices use turbine blades that are mounted to a rotor that includes blades that are designed to create a reaction force in response to a flow of fluid. This reaction force is typically a product of lift or transfer of momentum from the moving fluid. Accordingly, well-known turbine based motors require high rates of flow in order to begin to function.
Examples of known turbines include U.S. Pat. No. 1,149,523 to Jerman, Jr., or U.S. Pat. No. 865,164 to Corthesy. The Jerman, Jr. and the Cothesy patent teach the use of rotors with a plurality of fins.
The Jerman, Jr. patent teaches the use of rotors with fins that create pockets of working fluid. The working fluid is delivered to the turbine where it is trapped in pockets, and carried around to the discharge duct of the turbine. This arrangement appears to place little emphasis on the fact that work produced by a device such as turbine is largely due to expansion of the working, pressurized fluid. In other words, the work carried out is expressed by the formula: Work=P·dV, where work is the product of pressure (P) times the change in volume (dV). Accordingly, the capture of the working gas in pockets prevents the change in volume that is required to carry out work.
The reference to Corthesy, uses a rotor with a pair of vanes, and relies on an arrangement that injects and provides for exhaust of gases at about the same location. A significant drawback to this arrangement is that the working fluid delivered through one side of the turbine can place resistance on the working fluid being delivered through the opposite side of the turbine. Furthermore, the need to position the outlet or exhaust next to the inlet results in power losses due to the immediate escape of the working fluid through the exhaust.
Thus, there remains a need for a simple turbine design that allows the effective harness of work through the expansion.